A drop-in vaccination bus is travelling around Highland secondary schools to give students easy access to the flu jab.
The mobile clinic, which started in September, aims to vaccinate over 7,000 students against the flu by the end of November.
Run by the ambulance service, the bus will visit secondary schools in Wick, Thurso, Plockton, Portree, Ardnamurchan, Lochabar, Culloden and Inverness.
Its vaccination effort are focused in more rural areas to ensure that all students between first and sixth year at secondary school have the chance to get the jab as winter approaches.
The same service was used to offer the Covid vaccine to those living further away from vaccination clinics.
There are now three new buses operating across Scotland, with a dedicated clinic for the north, east and west of the country.
This service is facilitated by funding from the government to improve the accessibility of both the Covid and flu vaccines.
Dr Tim Allison, director of public health and policy with NHS Highland, said: “Delivering this programme of vaccinations is going to be very challenging so I am delighted that we have this support in place from the Scottish Ambulance Service.
“I would encourage everyone who is offered the flu vaccine to take it to ensure you are protected over the winter months.”
“Keeping ourselves and our families safe”
With the Highlands still reporting cases of coronavirus every day, the addition of the winter flu could put extra stress on the NHS.
Natalie Macdonald, vaccination programme manager for the ambulance service, said the flu jab will help protect students against the virus.
She said: “We’ve been working with the Scottish Government, health boards and local authorities across the Highlands to deliver our vaccination bus to schools, to ensure children have access to the flu vaccination.
“Through the commitment of our designated vaccination staff, we expect at least 7,000 pupils to be protected through this programme, which will help to ensure we’re keeping ourselves and our families safe from both the flu and Covid-19 this winter.”